


Birth

by Pacifia



Series: Adventures_in_Narnia_2021 [4]
Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Having Faith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 12:20:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29526309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pacifia/pseuds/Pacifia
Summary: Eustace's birth is one to remember.
Relationships: Alberta Scrubb & Eustace Scrubb, Alberta Scrubb/Harold Scrubb, Edmund Pevensie & Mr. Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie & Peter Pevensie, Eustace Scrubb & Harold Scrubb, Mr. Pevensie & Peter Pevensie
Series: Adventures_in_Narnia_2021 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2143263
Kudos: 5





	Birth

Harold was anxious.

And pacing, he had learnt from experience, helped tremendously in situations like these. So, as he tried desperately to block the images of his dear wife screaming in excruciating pain, he walked back and forth, back and forth.

"Oh, for God's sake, Harold," said his brother*, still rocking his two-year-old to sleep, scooting back on his metal chair. "Do sit down. Alberta will be just fine. So will Eustace**."

Harold puffed, wiggling his fingers and curling his fists. He stroked his ruddy hair out of his eyes. "I didn't know you were a doctor as well, Ethan. Anyway, I did always wish to be brother to a doctor but I suppose your family lacks that sort of potential. Your faith hinders you." He turned, and held up a finger to silence an objecting Ethan. He frowned at the toddler sleeping contently in his father's arms even at a time so delicate. Wrinkling his nose at his eldest nephew blinking twice at him, he said, "I asked you to not bring your children."

Ethan sighed. "Mother is already looking after the girls. She can't handle four children at once." He smiled then. It was a smile Harold always had trouble to understand; it was directed at his youngest son, lips curled in a gentle, affectionate manner. A humourless smile that was filled with unending love. "And besides," he uttered, "Ed here refused to let me go without him. And then Mother sent Peter along in the frenzy as well. It couldn't be helped."

He smiled in that same mysterious way again, and Harold barely held back an eye-roll. He sighed and sat on the chair beside Peter's, relieved to see him scooching towards his father.

"You don't understand," he said. "She was in _so much_ pain. Before you and Helen*** came in, the nurse said there could be complications. Eustace or Alberta could _die_ , and it is scary, in a horrible way." And then, much to his horror, a sob escaped him.

He instantly stiffened.

But his brother gingerly touched his shoulder. "You only need to put your trust in the Lord."

Harold laughed and shook Ethan's hand off. "Really? You would lecture me now?" He huffed. "Instead, I will put my trust in Dr Wells. He's prestigious. I'm certain he will keep dear Alberta from any harm."

"Then you have nothing to worry about," Ethan told him, smiling down at his eldest when he curled into his side.

Looking at Ethan and both his sons in his arms, their faces calm and reassured of safety, Harold felt an odd feeling in his heart, as if something had warmed and melted. Ignoring it, he said to his brother, "I just don't want her to be in so much pain."

"That's alright," Ethan said. "Helen will keep her comfortable."

Harold could only nod. And the deafening silence that followed lasted only for a few seconds. For then the double doors leading to the operative area of the hospital flew open. And a nurse dressed in all white came rushing out.

She was panting.

Harold shot up from his seat. "Nurse? Is my wife . . .?"

She shook her head. "She's lost too much blood," she told him. Harold's heart plummeted to the ground. But she had more to convey. "And . . . oh, the cord was coiled around your son's neck. He's . . . he's not breathing."

Harold vaguely heard Ethan rise from his seat and question the nurse further as he dropped to his knees, seeing only red. His world swayed. Breathing was suddenly so hard. Hot tears leaked. And then two beautifully small hands were wiping them.

"Uncle Harold?" said a small voice.

He dipped his head into the palm on his cheek. "It hurts."

"It's alright, Uncle Harold. I'll pray for cousin Eustace if you can't," whispered Peter. "Dad says God always hears us. I prayed for Lu when she fell sick. And she's all well now!"

"No, no," he replied. "God doesn't hear us. Because he doesn't exist."

Peter frowned in thought. "Does it matter?"

And suddenly Harold couldn't breathe through his rapid tears. He hugged the boy close. And he wept. As Peter whispered prayers into his ear.

He wept until Peter had exhausted his prayers.

"Harold? Oh, dear God. Harold!" exclaimed Ethan's voice and then a gentle hand was hauling him to his feet. He slowly raised his head to see Ethan through his blurry tears, still holding his sleeping son. Ethan engulfed him into a one-armed hug, patting his back. "Be strong now. You must be strong. Everything will be fine."

"But my wife, and son . . ."

"They're doing all they can. We can only wait," Ethan said, releasing him and sitting on the chair again. Peter crawled silently into his lap and snuggled close to his brother, and father, quickly falling asleep. "And we can pray."

He held out a hand in invitation. "Let us pray, Harold."

Harold stole a glance at Peter, nodded solemnly, and took his hand. "Then let's," he smiled tremulously.

He knelt and listened to his brother praying fervently for his wife and his son's health. He only listened, for no words left his own lips, only sobs.

For hour-like minutes they sat there, surrounded by prayers and sobs. For minutes, the torture didn't end.

But just as the last word of the litany left Ethan, the doors opened.

Harold twisted, not daring to hope yet.

The nurse smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> *Most would imagine Alberta as Mrs Pevensie's sister, but then there's me. And also, as Ariel_of_Narnia pointed out, I can agree that Harold and Alberta would think taking the husband's last names would be old-fashioned and sexist. I can see them either taking an entirely different last name from a peculiar list of the twentieth-century names, or even adopting Alberta's last or middle name.
> 
> **Because Harold and Alberta were the kinds of people who decided on their son's name before he was born.
> 
> ***I like Mrs Pevensie's name in the movie, because it reminds of Queen Helen, and I think it was the intention. So, I'm keeping it.


End file.
